"Oh, but that's splendid," she exclaimed thankfully. "Is he going to live with you on the island??
"I should like him to," I said, "but I am afraid the Admiralty might object. They are a conservative lot, and they always expect their employees to sleep over the shop. I shall be seeing a good deal of him though," I added, quickly, as a sudden shadow of disappointment again clouded her eyes. "He is constantly round here in his boat, and if I want him in a hurry any time I have only got to send him a wire."
There was a pause.
"Does he—does he know that—" She stopped, as if not quite certain how to finish the question.
"I didn't think it necessary to tell him everything," I said. "He knows about my being chucked into the dock, and he knows what I think of Dr. Manning. As I look at it, the rest of the story only concerns ourselves."
I saw that she was on the point of interrupting me, so I went straight on, without giving her the chance of speaking.
"Anyhow, I am not going to talk about myself all the time. There are several much more important things I want to discuss, and one's the fact that you appear to be risking your life every morning before breakfast in a way that I strongly disapprove of."
She looked at me for a moment in evident bewilderment.
"Do you mean my swimming?"
I nodded. "It would be most inconsiderate of you to get drowned," I said, "just when you've become absolutely necessary to me."